A Happy Ending For Ruka
by bLuebLuebLue
Summary: Although he is happy for Mikan and Natsume, Ruka can't help but feel down sometimes. Until another girl catches his eyes. Can this be the happy ending he has been waiting for? Read and find out in this sequel to Unspoken.
1. Chapter One

_A/N: This is the sequel to my first ever fanfic, "Unspoken." If you haven't read "Unspoken" yet, I hope that you would take the time to read it first (and also submit a review!). But if you have and kind of took pity on Ruka, well then, here's a happy ending for him. I hope that in this sequel, I justify the saying that "everybody deserves a happy ending."_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice. And if you find the story similar to other stories you've read, it is, again, just a coincidence._

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**A HAPPY ENDING FOR RUKA**

_Chapter One_

"Spring is finally here!" Mikan announced one morning in a loud and cheery voice.

The students of Class B were all inside their classroom, waiting rather noisily for their teacher, Narumi, to come.

Mikan had been looking out the window, watching as the first signs of spring appeared.

"Oi, polka dots," Natsume's deep voice drowned Mikan's. "Get over here."

Mikan turned around, her face red with anger.

"Natsume!" She screamed. "Until when are you going to keep calling me those names?"

"Until you stop wearing those kinds of panties," Natsume simply replied, placing his arms behind his head and his feet on his desk, while the rest of the class laughed.

Mikan's face contorted with fury, steam coming out of her ears. She looked like she was about to attack Natsume but resorted to looking out the window instead.

"Spring is here," She sing-songed dreamily. "That means the spring dance is just around the corner."

The class began discussing the spring dance amongst each other.

"Good job, Mikan. You finally got the class buzzing around again," Natsume told Mikan sarcastically.

But Mikan just smiled at him sweetly, causing Natsume to slightly blush.

Ruka quietly watched all of these happen as he sat beside Natsume.

It had been a couple of months since that day when he set Mikan free for Natsume.

It had been autumn then.

(Flashback)

"_Ruka, I–" Mikan began._

"_It's alright, Mikan. Natsume is waiting for you by the Sakura trees."_

_Mikan stared at Ruka, shocked. It was already dinnertime, but the two of them sat together by the front steps of the elementary building._

"_I love you, Mikan. That will never change. But what I can never change is your love for Natsume."_

_Mikan opened her mouth, even more surprised._

_Ruka smiled sadly at her._

"_I can never give you the same happiness that only Natsume can, no matter how I try. The only way I can make you happy is by sacrificing my own happiness at the same time._

_That is why I am letting you free."_

_Mikan could see Ruka trying to keep the smile on his face, but in his eyes, she could see sorrow._

_She finally had the courage to say, "I'm so sorry, Ruka. I am such an idiot. I could never understand love. I let you suffer ever since that night while I only thought of myself, how I couldn't understand everything that was happening. Instead of talking it out with you, I tried to get away from you."_

_She held his hands._

"_I know there is someone out there whom you will learn to love and will truly love you in return. Someone who will be able to give you greater happiness than you thought I can only give you. I know that someone will come, someday. Just be patient."_

_She smiled at him._

_Ruka smiled back, and this time, the smile reached up to his eyes._

"_It had been Natsume who first set you free, thinking you would be happier with me. He just wanted you to be happy, you know. But I see now that you are happier with him after all. What is important right now is that you are happy, and knowing that kind of makes me happy too," He told her._

"_Go now. Natsume is waiting."_

(End of flashback)

Ever since then, Mikan and Natsume had become closer to each other.

Although Natsume would still tease Mikan, he had become subtler, kinder and more affectionate in his actions towards her.

Now, it was spring.

Ruka was happy for the two, but there were times when he could not help but feel envious of his best friend.

Of course, he didn't want to interfere with the two when they are already so happy, so he tried not to show them what he felt.

Only one person seemed to see through his mask.

That person was Hotaru.

The girl who rarely showed any emotion even when her own best friend was crying her eyes out at her. The girl who made other people think that she did not care for anyone at all but herself.

Hotaru understood what he felt.

Come to think of it, it was also Hotaru who made him realize that it was Natsume whom Mikan really loved.

(Flashback)

_Ruka was sitting on the floor outside their classroom door when Hotaru passed by, riding her duck mobile._

_Seconds later, she came back._

_"What's wrong, Ruka?" She asked him._

_"N-nothing," he muttered, staring at the floor. "Just leave me alone."_

_For a while, there was only silence._

_"Mikan is really innocent when it comes to love, you know," Hotaru finally said._

_Ruka looked up at her, surprised, but didn't say anything._

_She got off her duck mobile and sat beside him._

_"Strange feelings come to her which she really can't understand," She continued. "Feelings that she feels only towards Natsume."_

_Ruka returned his gaze on the floor._

_It was Hotaru's turn to look at him._

_"She likes you, Ruka," She said. "But only as a friend. It is Natsume that she loves."_

_"I knew that," Ruka said bitterly. "But Natsume told me it was okay for him if I confessed to Mikan. I thought, if I told her what I feel towards her, she would learn to love me. But I guess I can't change what she feels towards Natsume."_

_Hotaru stared at him for a while before finally saying, "The best way you could show your love to Mikan is to give her what will make her happier."_

_With those words, she stood up and went off on her duck mobile, leaving a dejected Ruka behind._

(End of Flashback)

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A/N: Hold on, this isn't the end yet. But how do you like it so far? Hope you send me a review! Just stay tuned for the next chapter! _


	2. Chapter Two

_A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long for me to post the second chapter! So, to make up for all those time you waited, I've uploaded in chapter three too! Thanks to all those who checked out my stories and submitted reviews! Anyway, I think I may have made the characters a bit OOC here. But I don't know. Tell me if that's alright, 'kay? I won't make this any longer, so, enjoy reading!_

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Chapter Two_

"If you keep staring off into space like that, I could have a whole collection of pictures of you staring into space all over school," Hotaru's emotionless voice broke Ruka's thoughts.

A picture slowly appeared in front of Ruka. A picture of him just now, sitting and staring off to nothing.

He took the picture from Hotaru and looked around. He was surprised to see the classroom empty except for the two of them.

"Come to think of it, a lot of students here in Alice Academy would pay a good price just for a picture of the famous Ruka, even when he looked like a zombie on the loose."

Ruka stared at Hotaru, whose one hand was on her waist, rubbing her chin with her thumb and index finger.

Did she just tell a joke? Wait, that was an insult.

Ruka looked at the picture again. He did look silly just staring into space like that, but he managed to say rather sarcastically, "This isn't all that bad. I look good even looking like a zombie."

Hotaru was slightly surprised at his comeback, but then she smiled.

"And since I look good, I won't mind if you sell more pictures of me looking like this. And maybe it would be so much worth the price to buy them that I won't have to chase you around, trying to pry pictures off your hand, because you will also be selling them to me," Ruka added, smiling too, clearly enjoying their bickering at each other.

"Maybe I will," Hotaru said, pretending to consider the idea. "At a hundred rabbits apiece."

"What? No fair! They're my pictures!"

"Correction, I took them. It's my camera, my film. So technically, they're mine. And if I sell them to you at a lower price, you'll buy them all off. I'd have nothing to sell to the others anymore, then it'd be no fun at all and I'd have nothing to blackmail you with."

Ruka stared at Hotaru with his mouth open, and then burst out laughing. "I guess you are smart, Imai."

"Oh, aren't I?" Hotaru replied, smiling sweetly.

Ruka's laughs slowly died down, leaving a peaceful smile on his face.

He stared at Hotaru's smiling face. At her smile. The smile that seldom appeared on her face.

He felt somehow special having the chance to be shown that smile.

Could this mean something?

He shook the thought away and asked, "Where are the others?"

"Out for lunch."

"What happened the whole morning?"

"Well, the substitute teacher came in to announce that Narumi-sensei was busy over something to teach us and told us that we could just self-study then he left. After that, we just did our own thing," Hotaru explained. "Guess you were too absorbed in your own thoughts to notice anything, huh?"

Ruka smiled sheepishly. Then his face suddenly became serious.

"So, Natsume just took off without bothering to wake me out of my daydream?"

"Well," Hotaru replied hesitantly, also putting on a serious face.

"Had he also become so absorbed with his"--Ruka lifted his hands to form air quotes--""girlfriend" that he suddenly forgets his best friend who--"

BAKA!

"Ow!" Ruka exclaimed, rubbing his forehead. "What was that for?"

"Get over it," Hotaru replied stiffly, pocketing her baka gun then turning to walk towards the door.

Ruka watched her disappear out of the classroom.

Get over it.

The words were repeated over and over in his mind.

_But I can't get over it_, Ruka thought, falling into misery once again.

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A/N: Ooohh, a big "Ouch!" for Ruka there. Poor guy. LOL. Hmm, this chapter is rather short, don'cha think? LOL. I couldn't think of anything more to add. The chapter just felt so complete. So, have you guessed who the "girl" is already? (Big grin) Anyway, just keep on reading to find out! Chapter three is just one click away!_


	3. Chapter Three

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Chapter Three_

That afternoon, Ruka sat beside Natsume by the Sakura trees.

He was holding his rabbit in his arms and petting it, deep in thoughts, while Natsume read his manga.

Everything was silent around them.

The wind was blowing gently, causing the leaves of the trees to rustle softly.

But the stillness was suddenly shattered by the usual booming voice of Mikan.

"Natsume! Ruka-pyon!" She shouted, running towards them with a wide smile plastered all over her face.

"What now?" Natsume muttered under his breath. Ruka chuckled softly.

"Natsume, Ruka-pyon," Mikan panted, arriving beside them. They waited for a while as she gasped for breath. Finally, she smiled at them and announced, "We're going to Central Town tomorrow. Wanna come?"

"Was that all you were gonna say?" Natsume joked, not taking his eyes off his manga.

Mikan frowned at him.

"So, are you going or not?" she asked, smiling, again.

Ruka smiled up at her and said, "Sure, we'll be there."

Mikan's smile went even wider than it already was (if that was possible) and exclaimed, "Great! Meet you at the bus tomorrow morning then!"

She turned and ran off.

Ruka glanced at Natsume and did a double take when he saw him looking at him.

A slight smile formed on Natsume's lips.

"What?" Ruka asked, surprised.

Natsume went back to his manga.

After a while, he said, "Lately, you've become so preoccupied with your own thoughts. It would be nice for you to get out and go to Central Town. It could help clear away your head of those thoughts."

Ruka was taken aback by what he said.

"I'm alright, Natsume. Besides, it's not like I've never gone for visits to Central Town before," Ruka told him.

Natsume turned to look at him.

"You show me that you are happy, Ruka. But I know there is something hidden behind those smiles."

"N-Natsume."

Ruka quickly looked up at the sky.

"I'm just as happy as you are. There's nothing more," he finally said.

The next morning, Class B of the elementary branch lined up beside a yellow bus.

Hotaru, Mikan, Natsume and Ruka were at the end of the line.

"I can't wait to get my hands on those delicious howalon," Mikan squealed, jumping up and down.

One by one, they rode the bus. Soon enough, they were on their way to Central Town.

When they finally arrived at their destination, the first thing Mikan did was to grab Natsume by his wrist and pull him towards the howalon stand, leaving Hotaru and Ruka behind.

"She's the same as always," Yuu commented cheerily behind them.

The rest of Class B (except Hotaru and Ruka) began to scatter around.

Hotaru eyed Ruka for a while, the two of them standing rooted on the spot.

Finally, she cleared her throat and began, "So where's Youichi?"

Ruka looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. He blinked.

"Never mind," Hotaru said, walking away, clearly offended.

Ruka was suddenly brought back to his senses.

"Wait," he called out guiltily, grabbing her by her sleeve. "I'm sorry."

Hotaru jerked her arm away from his grasp, but she also stopped walking.

"Youichi was still sleeping this morning so. . ." Ruka started to explain but then he slowly trailed off. "So, where do you want to go? It seems like Mikan and Natsume are all by themselves now," he began again.

He was grinning so Hotaru smiled. Then she shrugged and said, "I don't know. Where do you want to go?"

Ruka looked around them.

"How about. . ." He trailed off again.

"We could look in the shops," Hotaru suggested.

"Sure," Ruka shrugged.

They started walking towards the different shops in town.

They entered a shop that sold weird potions ("Want the girl to fall in love with you?" The owner had whispered to Ruka, pointing at Hotaru, who was checking out potions for dumb people on one shelf.), then went to a store filled with antiques ("These aren't just ordinary antiques, see?" The lady in the store had said, showing them a brass teakettle that smoked at the spout when rubbed.)

They also looked inside a gadgets store (where Hotaru was able to buy stuff for new inventions) and a pet shop (in which Hotaru was also able to take a snapshot of Ruka with a dreamy look on his face, surrounded by the animals.)

When they passed by an ice cream store, Ruka had to buy Hotaru six scoops of ice scream in exchange of the picture.

They went into a lot more shops and came upon a lot more hilarious dilemmas they could ever imagine, and it wasn't even lunchtime yet. It was the most fun they've ever had, well, together.

Ruka was starting to think how much this was turning out to be a date between him and Hotaru when they came upon one jewelry store.

Hotaru was staring into the shop window.

Ruka went beside her to see what she was looking at.

"My mother also had one like that," Hotaru said, pointing at a silver chain necklace with a small, teardrop-shaped piece of amethyst hanging as a pendant.

Ruka gazed from the necklace to Hotaru, waiting to hear more.

But he didn't hear anything more so he grinned and said, "I didn't know you were interested in this kind of stuff."

Hotaru pulled out her baka gun, ready to shoot him, but turned to walk away instead.

"I wasn't interested," she told him.

Ruka caught up with her and said, still grinning, "But you were checking out the necklace."

Hotaru rolled her eyes, but she smiled at him.

"I've got hundreds more pictures of you in my lab if you ever tell anyone about that," She teased.

They continued walking, smiling at each other, when a face suddenly appeared in front of them.

"We've been looking all over Central Town for you two! Where have you been all morning?" Mikan exclaimed, exasperation on her face.

Hotaru and Ruka stopped walking and looked away from each other.

"Come on, it's nearly lunchtime. It's a good thing we found you before lunchtime came," Mikan told them, totally oblivious of the fact that Ruka and Hotaru were blushing.

Natsume suddenly appeared behind her. He looked at them with his eyes laughing but didn't say a word.

"Where do you want to each lunch?" Mikan continued, turning to walk on while the others just followed her lead quietly. "Iinchou told me there's a newly-opened restaurant here in Central Town that's worth checking out. Everybody else in our class are going to be there, too."

Mikan turned around to face them and asked, "So what do you think?"

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A/N: Whew! What a day for Ruka and Hotaru! LOL. Sorry if you kinda didn't like the way I ended the chapter but I'm guessing you already know the rest that happens. They eat lunch, hang out with other friends, and have some more fun before they finally go home. But not as fun to be worth telling in this story since it's not about Hotaru and Ruka all alone and having fun with each other. LOL. Again, just stay tuned for the next chapter! Thanks for waiting!_


	4. Chapter Four

_A/N: Finally, the fourth chapter. Sorry for keeping you waiting, guys. I'm just glad I finally got around to finishing this chapter. Anyway, here's a tip for my fellow Gakuen Alice fanfic writers out there, a good dose of other delicious Gakuen Alice fanfics is the best cure if you're suffering writers' block. Trust me. Based from my own experience. LOL. Well, enjoy reading!_

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Chapter Four_

"The spring dance is only four days away," Narumi announced to the class.

It was Monday morning.

Ruka sat on his seat thinking about what happened back in Central Town last Saturday.

After they had eaten lunch, Ruka had joined Natsume and the other boys of Class B while Hotaru, Mikan and Iinchou went off their separate ways.

"And as we all know, it is the boys who ask the girls to dance with them," Narumi added.

"I didn't know that," Mikan announced, her hand shooting up in the air.

"Well, now you know," Natsume told her sarcastically.

Mikan stuck out a tongue at him.

Narumi just smiled at them and continued, "Now remember, boys and girls, to dress properly for the occasion."

"You mean we don't get to wear the same costume?" Mikan's hand shot up in the air again.

"Yes, Mikan, you get to dress up in your own style," Narumi told her.

"Oh," Mikan said, her hand dropping to her side, looking disappointed. "But I don't know what to wear."

_Rrriiiinnngg!!_

"Whoops, I guess that means it's time to end the class," Narumi said, glancing at his watch. He smiled at them. "Well then, don't forget what I told you about the spring dance. See you tomorrow!"

"Or not," Natsume said out loud but Narumi was already out the door.

The class began talking with one another about what they were going to wear to the dance.

Ruka noticed that Mikan was unusually quiet and that she was still frowning.

"What's the big deal about dressing up in your own style for the dance, dummy?" Hotaru asked her, turning around to face her.

"You could have told me about that earlier, Hotaru," Mikan pouted at her.

"Why? Don't you have any clothes?" Hotaru replied indifferently.

Mikan blushed slightly.

"Of course I do! It's just that I don't know what I will wear," she said.

"Well, you do have dresses, don't you?"

"Y-yeah."

"Then just go and pick one. And that's it."

Mikan sighed.

"You don't understand, Hotaru."

Ruka turned to look at Natsume.

"How about you, Natsume? Have you got anything to wear for the dance?" He asked.

"Why all the fuss?" Natsume replied, covering his face with his manga. But after a while, he said, not taking off the manga, "Yeah, I do. You?"

"Yeah."

Finally, it was the night of the spring dance.

Ruka stood waiting outside Natsume's room. He was wearing a plain white long-sleeved polo shirt with a light blue vest on top and navy blue shorts.

He was about to fix the cuffs of his sleeves when the door opened.

Natsume came out wearing a black sweater and black shorts. On top of the sweater was a red checkered short-sleeved polo shirt that was unbuttoned at the front.

"Cool style," Ruka commented, grinning.

"Didn't want to look too dressed up," Natsume replied nonchalantly, shoving his hands into his pockets, but then he smiled too.

They headed towards the school grounds, which was swimming in different-colored dresses and suits.

They both scanned the whole crowd.

"I don't see her, do you?" Natsume asked.

"Nope," Ruka replied.

They went towards an empty table and sat there, facing the crowds of students dancing (either in pairs or in groups), talking with each other, eating, drinking, and having a good time.

Ruka saw Sumire standing at the other side of the dance floor, wearing a purple flowery dress, and looked away as soon as she saw him too.

"Mikan, you look so pretty!" Anna squealed.

Ruka and Natsume watched as Anna and Nonoko ran towards Mikan, who was wearing a simple white dress with a short-sleeved orange blazer tied at the front. Her hair was styled in a sort of half-pigtails, with the top half tied in pigtails and the rest loose. Hotaru stood beside her, wearing a strapped periwinkle blue dress.

"And you too, Hotaru," Nonoko added.

"You think so?" Mikan asked nervously, looking down at her outfit.

"Really," Anna smiled at her.

"Well, thanks! You two look pretty awesome, too!" Mikan exclaimed, smiling back.

"Thanks," both Anna and Nonoko said. Anna was wearing a pleated green skirt topped with a white blouse and a matching green long-sleeved open blazer that was tied with a ribbon at the neckline, while Nonoko had on the same dress as Hotaru's, only pink.

They continued chatting with each other that Natsume finally asked, pointing at the refreshments table, "Want some drink?"

"Sure," Ruka answered.

They stood up and headed towards the punch bowl that was placed on the table. After they had poured some punch into their cups, they went back towards their seats and slowly sipped their drinks.

Mikan came over to them after a while, closely followed by Hotaru.

"You two look great!" Mikan greeted them, smiling.

"Thanks," Ruka replied while Natsume said at the same time, "You too."

"I think I'll just go get something to eat," Hotaru told them and took off.

Mikan sat beside Natsume.

"So, how do you find so far the dance that you've been all excited about ever since spring started?" Natsume teased her.

"It's great, although I haven't danced yet."

"Well, do you want to dance?"

Mikan smiled at him and said, "Sure."

Natsume stood up, offering her a hand, which she took, also standing up. They started walking towards the dance floor, with Mikan looking back at Ruka and telling him, "Catch a dance with you later, Ruka."

Ruka nodded at her and watched as they started dancing to a lively tune.

Hotaru came back just when another song started to play, sitting beside him.

They stared at Mikan and Natsume, who just kept on dancing.

"Are you alright?" Hotaru asked him, her voice showing no emotion, still looking at Mikan and Natsume.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ruka sighed.

"Are you sure?" Hotaru asked again, turning to look at him.

Ruka flashed her a big smile and said, "Definitely."

"Well then, I guess I'll be going," Hotaru stood up, about to head for the refreshments table.

Ruka suddenly grabbed her hand.

She turned around, looking surprised.

"Would you like to dance with me?" Ruka asked her, standing up. He was also amazed at what he just did, but he didn't show her.

Hotaru stared at him for a while, then shrugged and said, "Sure."

They walked over to the dance floor and faced each other.

Ruka held Hotaru's right hand with his left and placed his right hand on her waist.

Hotaru slid her left hand on his shoulder hesitantly.

Then they began to dance.

They gently swayed around the dance floor, a slow sweet song playing.

Hotaru just looked over Ruka's shoulder the whole time they danced.

Ruka, meanwhile, had his gaze fixed on Hotaru's face, unaware of the fact that the other people had started looking their way.

Hotaru cleared her throat and said, "My feet are tired now."

They stopped dancing.

Hotaru pulled herself away from Ruka and headed towards the refreshments table.

Ruka was left standing in the middle of the dance floor and staring after Hotaru, his eyes transfixed.

"Ruka," Natsume called from behind.

Ruka turned around, blushing furiously. He finally noticed all the other people looking at him.

"Ruka, could it be that you are falling in love with Imai?" Natsume asked.

_A/N: Talk about going direct to the point. LOL. What's Ruka going to say? Well, there's no other way to find out but to read on. XD_


	5. Chapter Five

_A/N: Sorry for keeping you hanging out there, guys. It was so stupid of me to tell you in the previous chapter to read on when there wasn't any more to read on. LOL. During the past days, I wasn't really in the mood for continuing this fanfic. But I was snapped back to reality today. I felt guilty for starting a story and not finishing it. Come to think of it, that has always been a problem for me. Anyways, enough yapping about me, here's chapters five and six! Enjoy!_

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_Chapter Five_

"Are you falling in love with Imai, Ruka?" Natsume asked again.

Ruka stared at him, stunned.

"What? N-no!" He managed to blurt out.

Natsume looked at him disbelievingly.

People started crowding the dance floor just when a fast song began to play that Ruka and Natsume had to squeeze themselves out towards the refreshments table.

Ruka saw Hotaru, who looked away the instant she saw him, too. She was standing beside Mikan, who smiled when she, too, saw him.

Ruka could feel his heart pounding, but he couldn't understand to whom it was beating for?

Could it really be Hotaru?

Natsume, meanwhile, just eyed the scene, clearly amused.

Here was his best friend, all red, breathing heavily, and unmoving, while his sort-of girlfriend (they were still kids after all) stood a few feet away, confused, with her best friend looking hard on the other direction.

"If you're just going to stand there, try not to look like an idiot, will you, Ruka?" He finally said, snapping his fingers in front of Ruka's face.

"Just go and confess to her already," He scolded.

Ruka came back to his senses and looked at him.

"I told you, I'm not in love with her!" Ruka protested.

Natsume raised his eyebrows at him.

"Well, at least, that's what I think," Ruka muttered, looking down.

He took a huge breath and looked back at Natsume.

"Look, I don't know, alright? I don't - I don't know what's going on with me," he said angrily, a pained look in his face.

Natsume studied him for a while.

"Think things over," He finally told him, then went over to Mikan.

Ruka watched as Natsume began talking to Mikan.

Mikan did not say a word to Ruka, but she did give him worried glances.

Hotaru, meanwhile, had left when Natsume joined them and was nowhere to be seen.

Ruka decided to go and hide behind the trees.

There he spent the rest of the evening, "thinking things over," as Natsume had told him to do so.

The next day, Ruka decided to take a stroll around Central Town by himself.

He found himself walking along the same path he and Hotaru had taken a week ago. He passed by familiar shops, recalling all the funny memories he had shared with Hotaru.

Finally, he stopped in front of the same jewelry store where Hotaru had shown him the amethyst necklace she said was like the necklace her mother had.

He looked into the store window and was alarmed to see that the necklace wasn't displayed anymore.

He decided to go inside and ask the store owner.

"An amethyst necklace eh?" The owner said, peering up at him behind tiny oval-shaped spectacles. He had been studying a small piece of diamond through a magnifying glass. "I don't remember selling an amethyst necklace to anyone. And since I change the necklaces I display by the window every week, I must have placed it somewhere around here for safekeeping."

The owner began rummaging through shelves and shelves of jewelries until, "Ah, here it is."

He went back to the counter and placed the necklace beside the diamond, the small teardrop-shaped amethyst glistening under the light. He then said, "I do remember though that this certain girl with short raven hair had been coming in to look, and only to look, at this necklace for the past few days."

He eyed Ruka with a curious expression on his face and asked, "Do you happen to know that girl?"

Ruka's face turned slightly pink. He stuttered, "Y-yes, actually."

A smile lit up on the owner's face and he said happily, "Oh good! It would have been unpleasant to see the expression on the girl's face when she comes here one day to find the necklace gone but since you know her, I won't have to worry about that. I'm sure she will be so happy when you give her this necklace!"

"W-what made you think I was going to give her this necklace?" Ruka asked, his face going red all of a sudden.

"Weren't you going to?" The owner asked him, surprised. He was already packing the necklace in a small box and tying it up with a red ribbon. Then he said, "Boys usually buy girls jewelries when they're going to confess to them or when they're already going out."

Ruka went even redder.

The owner handed him the box, saying, "That will be eighty rabbits please."

A few minutes later, Ruka came out of the jewelry store, blushing furiously. He held on his right hand a small box containing the amethyst necklace.

He suddenly ran and caught a bus heading back to Alice Academy.

Arriving there, he got off the bus as fast as he could and began searching the school grounds.

After almost half an hour of running around the campus, he finally saw what he was looking for by the classroom corridor.

Hotaru was kneeling on the floor, her duck mobile lying in front of her, and her tools spread out on the floor around her.

"What happened?" Ruka asked, concernedly.

"It broke down," Hotaru answered, not bothering to look up. She gave one last twist with her screwdriver then began returning her tools in her toolbox. She placed her toolbox inside the duck mobile's compartment and pulled the mobile right side up. She was about to ride away on it when --

"Wait, Hotaru!" Ruka exclaimed, grabbing her by her right arm.

Hotaru looked at the hand that was gripping her arm then at Ruka, a cold expression on her face.

Ruka, who didn't seem to notice her reaction, mustered up all his courage and said, "I have something for you."

He held out his other hand that was holding the small box to her.

Hotaru stared at the box.

Then she jerked her arm away from his grasp and shoved the box to his stomach.

"I'm sorry, Ruka, but I can't accept that," she said and quickly rode away in her duck mobile.

Ruka was a little surprised at what she said, but he was not ready to give up yet. He turned and ran.

He knew what he would do.

- - -

Hotaru headed back to her lab after running away from Ruka. There she left her duck mobile then went to her room.

The curtains by the windows were drawn, making her room dark. But she did not bother switching on the light. She just sat on one side of her bed and reached out to switch on the lamp by the bedside table. That's when she saw a small box with a red ribbon tied around it.

She picked it up, untied the ribbon and removed the lid of the box. She pulled out a thin silver chain necklace with a tiny teardrop-shaped amethyst pendant.

She held it out in front of her and gazed at it for a while.

Then, she bent over her pillow and, still clutching the necklace in her hand, buried her face on her arms.

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_A/N: What's going to happen now? _


	6. Chapter Six

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_Chapter Six_

Ruka came out of his hiding place behind the door and approached Hotaru.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. This would be the first time he would ever see Hotaru Imai cry.

But when Hotaru looked up, surprised by his hand on her shoulder, there were no tears on her eyes. There was only sorrow.

Ruka removed his hand on her shoulder and sat beside her instead.

Hotaru quickly shoved the necklace on his hands and said, "I told you I can't accept this."

"But why, Hotaru? Why can't you accept this?" Ruka asked her.

"Do you still think I don't know what's going on?" Hotaru answered bitterly.

"I don't know, Hotaru. What is going on?" Ruka asked again, confused.

"Don't act like you don't know anything." Hotaru sounded like she was really going to cry. "Stop playing with my feelings."

"But I'm not - acting," Ruka told her, getting even more confused. "I'm not - playing with your feelings."

"I don't want to become a cover-up for what happened between you and Mikan!" Hotaru finally blurted out.

They stared at each other for a while.

Just then, Hotaru looked away.

"W-what?" Ruka managed to ask her, dumbstruck. What was she talking about?

"I know you still like Mikan, but don't use me or anyone else just so you could forget about her," Hotaru said, coldness now back in her voice.

Ruka was speechless.

How could she think about him that way?

He tried to find the right words to say to her, and finally said, softly, "Hotaru."

Hotaru kept her back turned towards him.

"I admit that I still like Mikan. That can never be erased. It's not that easy."

Ruka stared at her back.

"But you know I will never do such a thing as use you just to forget her."

Ruka looked down at the amethyst necklace he was holding.

"During those hard times, there was one certain person who understood me and tried to cheer me up."

Ruka looked up to see that Hotaru had her head down. He reached out a hand to her shoulder and faced her to him.

"And during those times, her smile was so kind and so comforting. That was the first time I saw her smile like that. It was not the usual smile she showed me when she got embarrassing pictures of me and knew how much money she would earn from them."

Ruka tried to smile at her, but she just kept looking down.

"I guess that's when I began to realize that I was feeling something else towards her. I didn't understand it at first. But Natsume helped me realize. That, maybe, I - I like Hotaru Imai."

Hotaru looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I like you, Hotaru," Ruka finally said, holding out the amethyst necklace.

Hotaru took the necklace and smiled up at him, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"I've always liked you, Ruka. But I thought it was only Mikan you would ever love that I couldn't believe it when you asked me to dance with you during the spring dance. I just thought it was to help you take your eyes off her the whole dance."

"I liked Mikan, but I have never thought of using you to forget her. I was also surprised when I asked you to dance. But when we danced, I felt like I was in heaven and I couldn't take my eyes off you," Ruka said.

They both chuckled.

Hotaru wiped her face dry of her tears then stared at the necklace she was holding.

"You know, the jewelry store owner told me you kept coming back there just to look at that necklace," Ruka told her.

Hotaru looked up at him and said softly, "My mother used to tell me that my father gave her the same kind of necklace the day he confessed his love to her."

Ruka was taken aback at what she said. He didn't know what to say.

Hotaru smiled and stood up to face the mirror by her dressing table. She unhooked the necklace and hung it around her neck, hooking it back again. She took one last look at the small teardrop-shaped amethyst pendant before hiding it underneath her uniform.

"That's why I've been looking at it every chance I could. It was the closest thing I could get to my mother. But now, I guess, this necklace means a lot more than just a memory of my parents."

She took a quick glance at the clock on the bedside table and said, "Come on, it's nearly lunchtime. The others must be looking for us already."

Ruka quickly stood up from the bed and headed towards the door. He looked back at Hotaru, motioning her to come. She followed him.

They went downstairs and outside, walking along the concrete path. They met up with Natsume and Mikan who were sitting by a Sakura tree.

Mikan's face lit up upon seeing them. She stood up and said, "We've been looking all over Central Town for you two. Where have you been?"

Ruka and Hotaru looked at each other, smiling.

"Finally," Natsume said, standing beside Mikan and grinning at the two.

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_A/N: THE END! I guess it was a happy ending for Hotaru, too. XD I wonder though how Ruka got to Hotaru's room before her, why I made Hotaru cry here, and how come Ruka's always the one giving out speeches in my stories! LOL. Anyways, sorry if the story looked kinda rushed and ended as earlier as expected but I felt that I had to end this sooner since school is starting again and I'd be even busier. I can't keep you waiting for updates. But hopefully, you can still expect more fanfics to come from me. Don't be shy to send reviews and let me know of what you thought about this story. Hope you liked how it went. Well, I guess that's all. Thanks for all your patience, for all the wonderful reviews, and for taking your time just to read my story! Thanks a lot! _


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